Yours forever, Love Seeley
by uscfbfan
Summary: Booth has died,for now, and has left Brennan with a series of letters with instructions on how to begin living again. Idea from PS I Love You previews. BB pairing. BrennanBoothParker of course. Hints of Hogela.
1. Chapter 1

AN 1: For the purposes of the story, I am pretending that Booth was a single father with no Rebecca in the story. Booth and Brennan were married and raising Parker until something happened.

AN 2: I haven't figured out if I am keeping Booth dead or not - which is why the summary says dead for now - I have an ending in mind which could go either way. I'll take votes.

_AN 3: I know there are several more stories I should work on. I got this idea when watching the previews for PS I love you. I just needed to get this one out and put my own spin. Love it, hate it? Let me know. Now on to the story._

_Disclaimers: I don't own Bones, wish I did but I don't. Any similarities between PS I love you is just that, a similarity, I haven't seen anything but the previews, and well, I can't convince my boyfriend to take me to see it - so any similarity is just coincidence._

**_Forever yours, Love Seeley_**

Dr. Temperance Brennan woke up and hit the alarm clock. She went to the closet and pulled out his shirt and breathed in his scent. It was part of her routine, wake up and smell his scent. It was the only thing she had left of the love of her life. She smiled - it was Seeley, Crew shampoo and a hint of Aqua di Gio. She closed her eyes and felt his arms around her. God, she missed him.

She padded down the hall and knocked on her adopted son's door. "Up and at 'em Parker. You don't want to be late for school again! It is the day of your field trip."

She expected for him to be excited. It was all he talked about all week. Parker's kindergarten class would be visiting the Jeffersonian. Brennan cracked open the five year olds door and found his back turned to her. He was still lying in bed.

She was about to get upset with him when she realized that he was not asleep, he was looking at a picture that Angela had taken. The picture had captured the small family during a company picnic. Booth, Brennan, and Parker were dancing around in a circle, Booth tossing his son in the air, and Brennan had her arms wrapped around his waist. Nothing but smiles were seen.

"Bones, I miss Daddy." He whispered sitting on his bed.

She invited herself into the room and ruffled his hair. Motherhood had come unexpectantly, and she hadn't exactly welcomed it, but she would have never denied the Booth anything. That included the task of taking care of his son.

"I miss him to Bub." She pulled him close and looked into his eyes.

"Why did God need him?" Parker asked.

"Well, your dad was a great soldier for truth here on earth, and God needed someone like that in heaven." After having a long talk with Dr. Sweets, Brennan realized that letting Parker believe in heaven was much like letting a child believe in Santa. She had reasoned that out in her head. Parker would come to believe what he wanted to believe in his own time.

"I know, but it sucks." Parker replied.

"Yeah it does Park. I need you to get ready now. We can't be late like we are every morning." She tugged the covers off of him. She smiled when he got up. His bed head was everywhere. Parker's light brown eyes were shining like Booths.

"I get to go see you at work today!" He exclaimed jumping off the bed. Brennan pulled out his jeans and field trip t-shirt. "Do you have my lunch made?"

"Peanut butter and jelly?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"A fruit roll-up?"

"Yep!"

"An orange?" She listed.

Parker made a face. "If you lose the orange and add a bag of chips, I would have the best lunch ever." Parker said trying to get out of the fruit.

"Try again. Get finished getting ready. Your Pop-tarts are on the table next to my coffee. We have to get going!"

- - - - - - - - - -

Brennan pulled her Mercedes SUV into the garage of the Jeffersonian. They had decided to meet his class at the Jeffersonian. She unstrapped Parker from his booster seat and ran with him into the building. They were 15 minutes late.

The security guard smiled and he saw his favorite coworker run into the building. "Artie, how late are we?" Parker screeched.

"The kids are lining up now to go into the lab." Artie answered handing Parker his security card and then another name tag identifying him as a camper. Parker ran down the hall.

"Parker - you forgot your lunch." Brennan called after him. She shook the brown paper bag and Parker ran back launching himself into Brennan's arms.

"Four o'clock you will come get me." Parker asked in reassurance.

"Four o'clock if I don't get called into the field. If not, Angela will bring you up and tell you what is going on."

"Be careful Bones." Parker whispered into her ear. He didn't want to let go of her. Angela came up behind them.

"Parker, it's time to go. I'll help get you situated. You'll see Bones in an hour during the tour of the lab." Angela told him.

"Okay." He responded. Brennan set him back down after Parker loosened his grip on her. Parker gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I love you Bones." Parker screamed to her as he scampered back to the group of kids waiting in the hall.

- - - - - - - - -

Brennan put her coffee down on her desk and started sorting through the mail that was left in her office. A request to teach at a university in Texas, a dig opportunity, and a chance to go to Africa were among the things that had to be discarded. She looked at the trash pile and sighed. The next thing she knew, she was picking up Brainy Smurf and throwing him across the room. It connected with a picture of Booth and it sent it crashing into the ground. The glass frame shattered into a million pieces.

"Dr. Brennan, we have to start working on your anger management abilities." Dr. Sweets' voice echoed in through the doorway.

"I just filtered through all my mail and had to give up opportunities to go teach, on a dig, and observe a tribal group in Africa. I had to give up my life!" She exclaimed.

"You have a life." Dr. Sweets responded settling in on the couch.

"It's not mine." She sighed again. "My life ended when Booth's life ended. I hate him!" She gasped at the realization.

"Dr. Brennan . . ." Dr. Sweets started. "You and Booth loved each other from the first moment you met. It is realistic to believe that you would be experiencing an extreme amount of heartache, especially on the anniversary of his death. You hate Booth for not being here, you hate him for not being here in your time of despair. It is natural that you feel some kind of hate."

"I just miss him so much." She walked over to the pieces of the broken frame and realized what picture had fallen off the shelf. Their first official picture together. "He should have never went on that undercover mission to catch the arsonist. He should have never gone into the building to save the child!"

It had been a long case for them. Stevens was the last person that the community would have expected to be a drug dealer. He was a good guy, a firefighter, and a local hero. He also had a gambling problem, so to get out of debt he would deal drugs. If the buyers didn't pay up, Stevens would kill them and hide his crime by burning the bodies. Well, one buyer hid their child and when the building went up in flames, Booth had seen the child. He ran in to get him, and the roof collapsed on him. Booth didn't stand a chance. He died two days later.

Brennan was in tears. "Booth wouldn't have been Booth though if he didn't try. He was thirty-five. We had just started our life together. Life isn't supposed to end at thirty-five!" She said wiping the tears away.

Sweets nodded. "Dr. Brennan, Booth wouldn't have wanted you to live life this way. He would want you to really live."

"How do I begin to do that?" She whispered.

"Only you can answer that. I have to go consult on a case now. Are you going to make our next session?"

She nodded and bade him farewell.

Brennan settled at her computer and started getting to answer her emails when a knock came at the door. "Angela, right now isn't a good time." She responded not looking up, she could recognize her friend's knock anytime.

"A delivery boy is here."

"Are you Dr. Brennan?" A delivery boy asked.

"Yes." She got up and walked to the door.

"I need you to sign for this package." Brennan signed hastily and picked up the box.

She grabbed a knife and ripped it open. A small tape recorder was inside with a\ note with Booth's familiar chicken scratch. "Play me." A single rose was attached. She picked it up and sniffed it.

Angela stood next to her. "Well, play it."

She pressed play and held her breath. "Bones, if you are hearing this, then God needed me more now then later. I'm sure I am with him, and I can assure you that yet again, God is not imaginary and Jesus is not a Zombie!" He let out a low chuckle. "I know that you are right now pretty angry at me for not being there. It's been a year. I want you to know that your life is going to now begin again. I want you to breath again. I want you to laugh again. Your life didn't have to end because mine did. I love you. Bones, there is a letter at the bottom of the box. You need to do this for me. I need you to do this for me. You are going to live again." She heard Booth sigh. "Thank you for loving me Bones. Thank you for watching over my son. Please, just learn to love life again."

She picked up the letter in the box. The letter had Forever yours, Love Seeley inscribed on top. She held Angela's hand and started to read his letter to her.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter Two:_

Brennan held her breath, and with tears in her eyes she took in the familiar handwriting, knowing that the man who wrote this knew that one day fate would separate them forever. She ran her fingers over the page, hoping that in some cosmic universe their two hands would touch again.

_My Darling Temperance,_

_If you are reading this right now, then I am gone, and it has been a year since I_

_have left you, and for that I am truly sorry. I hope that my letter has found_

_you happy and healthy. It turns out that our simple plan wasn't so simple. I_

_wish that I could be there with you, growing old with you, staying with you forever. _

_You were my destiny Temperance, I firmly believe that. Unfortunately_

_destiny hit a change of course. It happens sometimes._

_I know that I promised you I wouldn't leave you alone, and there were times_

_you would tell me that you couldn't do it alone, you couldn't raise Parker by yourself. I know that you can though. You are one of the strongest, bravest, and _

_most loving person I know. You are a great role model for him._

_We shared a beautiful life together, you made the man I am, was . . . _

_You made my life complete. You are the best thing that_

_ever happened to me and Parker. I have no regrets about our life together._

_I am only but a chapter in your life. I wish we could have filled that_

_book of life together, but it just wasn't meant to be. Hold on to our life together, _

_but I want you to live again. I want you to make new memories._

_Thank you for giving me the honor of being my wife and mother to Parker. Thank you for being my best friend and holding me through the nightmares. I am and will always will be . . . _

_Forever yours,_

_Seeley_

_PS: There will be more letters arriving through the next couple of months._

_You have to do them, don't forget I am watching out over you. I love you._

Brennan sank down on her couch. Sadness overwhelmed her, "How am I going to do this without him Ange?" She whispered.

"It doesn't sound like you have to do it without him. It seems like he is going to be with you for a little bit longer, guiding you along the way." Angela responded, holding her friend tight.

"Then it is almost as if he knew this was going to happen!" Brennan shook with anger. Brennan looked out the door and saw Parker walking straight for her door. She quickly wiped her eyes and smiled at the young boy.

"Bones!" Parker exclaimed. "The class didn't believe me when I said you were my mom and that you were teaching me the names of the bones."

Brennan smiled at her young stepson. She had almost forgotten about her part for the field trip, she frantically looked around trying to find something to talk about, but luckily Zach had set up a skeleton from limbo for her. She whispered a thank you to her colleague and picked up Parker, perching him on her hip. Man, he was getting big. Booth would be so proud.

"My name is Dr. Brennan-Booth," She introduced herself to the children. "I am Parker's mother and the lead forensic anthropologist here at the Jeffersonian Institute." She set Parker on a stool and he immediately began naming all the bones on the table. "That's great Park." She quickly explained to the children what her job was and what her affiliation with the FBI was. She answered all their questions and gave them a tour of the lab. Before the class left, she gave Parker a kiss and he wrapped her up in a hug.

She watched them go have load the bus and pull away. She thought of the letter and of when her and Booth were together.

_"Seeley!" She screeched. Her husband let out a huge belly laugh. He had just assaulted her with his cold feet again. "All you need to do is put on your socks before you go to bed!"_

_"Well, it only takes a couple of seconds to warm up when I put them up against you." He replied. The smile on his face melted her anger away._

_She wrapped her arms around him and started snuggling against him. Then a devilish idea whipped across her brain. Her fingers danced across his chest, making contact with the one point her husband would be ticklish. She found the spot and began her assault._

_After several minutes of the tickle war, which ended up with him falling on the ground, they called a truce. "I love you so much Temperance Brennan." He whispered._

_"I love you so much too Seeley Booth." She feel asleep in his arms, and she knew that would be where she was going to spend the rest of her life, in his arms._

The bus pulled away and Brennan walked to her car. She couldn't shake the feeling that Booth was still out there somewhere. She wanted answers.

---------

Brennan walked into Agent Sam Cullen's office. "Dr. Brennan, what can I do for you?"

"I just received this letter from Booth." She replied. "It is almost like he knew what was going to happen for him, and I need to hear it from you - is Seeley really gone? You don't have him on some undercover mission somewhere?"

"Unfortunately that is not the case Dr. Brennan. I wish Agent Booth was still here. He was the best of the best." Cullen answered the woman. Sympathy for her ran threw his veins. "Temperance, he's gone."

"Then how did he know to write this letter?" She demanded.

He smiled at her. "It is from my days of serving in Vietnam. I'm sure Booth wrote several letters like that before he did missions during his tour of duty. It is the letters that soldiers write before they undertake a difficult mission. It is our legacy, our last thoughts of things that we want our loved ones to know."

Brennan sank down in the chair. She just hoped he was alive, it was hard to believe that he was gone. She could feel him everywhere. "What do I do know?"

"I suggest that you follow the letter and do what he wants you to do." He answered. Cullen's eyes connected with hers and he no longer saw the fire and defiance that was there when they met. All he saw was the pain and despair that was left when she lost her other half.

He knew what that felt like. He felt like that when Amy died. He wished that he could tell her that the pain would go away, but he knew all to well that it never really does.

----------

Brennan went back to her lab sighing. She had hoped that she would hear the news that they were mistaken, that it was all a nightmare in which she would wake up. That he would be in her arms again, that he would save her from herself.

She glanced at the clock, it was four o'clock and Parker would be expecting her at any time. Brennan pulled up and found him sitting on the school yard steps not wanting to play with the other children on the playground.

"What's up Bub?"

"It's Daddy's anniversary." He whispered. Brennan sighed. She had wished that the young boy wouldn't remember that it had been today that he had died. She wondered how he knew, and then she saw. There were women standing in the corner, talking and pointing at them.

"Are you okay?" She asked pulling him into her lap.

"Yeah, just sad." He replied.

"I'm sorry Baby. I wish that I could take away all your pain and bring your Daddy back. You know I love you."

"I love you too. Can we get ice cream?"

"Yeah Parker, anything you want." Parker kissed her on the cheek and linked his small hand in hers. Brennan vowed to make the small family okay again.

* * *

AN: I hope that everyone is enjoying this story. I changed the title. I also am going to make a couple of little changes to chapter one. Nothing really big, just making Parker in school instead of at summer camp. It fits better with the story if he is in school. Please let me know what you think. What would you want your loved one to do if you passed away suddenly? How would you want them to continue on without them? 


	3. Chapter 3

_It's a somewhat shorter chapter, but I don't know when I will be able to get more up, so I figure some is better than none.

* * *

_

Chapter Three:

Brennan tucked her stepson into bed. "I love you Bub." She said tucking his blonde hair behind his ear, mentally noting that it needed to be trimmed.

"I love you too Bones. Get some sleep." He told her. She smiled back at him. He was so much like his father.

Bones heard the door unlock, and for a brief moment she thought it was Booth, returning home from a long day at work. She remembered their first night in the house together . . .

From the moment they saw the house, they knew. Parker had ran up to the swing that was in the front yard and promptly struggled to get up on it. Booth ran behind him and helped his son up on the swing and pushed him.

"Higher Daddy! Higher!" The young boy screeched at his father. They were both laughing. Brennan stood there watching them, knowing that no matter what, this was the house to begin their lives, this was the house they were going to build a future in.

She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, planting a kiss on his shoulder.

"You know this is the place right?" He asked.

"You know we couldn't get our son off that swing if we tried." She responded.

"Say that again." He requested.

"We couldn't get Parker off that swing if we tried." She paraphrased.

"No, the part where you called Parker our son. That is the first time you have ever put all of us together. He's ours." Booth said.

She smiled. She loved them with all her heart, and now, watching her family boys on the swing she knew . . . this real and it was not going away.

She went downstairs toward the intruder. Angela was letting herself in, a bottle of wine in her hand, and arms wide open to hold her best friend on what Angela was betting would be one of the toughest nights of her life.

"Oh Sweetie." She whispered setting the bottle down.

"I was so naïve Ange! How could I believe that I was allowed to have something so perfect, something so real? I was so stupid to believe God actually existed and that I was going to have a normal life!" Brennan stopped at the bottom of the stairs, sitting at the bottom.

Angela crouched down in front of her, wrapping her arms around her. "What you and Booth had was great, it was simple, it was love. And it was easy to believe that life was going to be great." Angela just held her friend tighter.

"It's been a year Ange, and my heart still aches even worse now. It aches my heart to know that we will never fight over the covers again or argue over whose turn it is to take Parker to school. It was a simple plan Ange. All we had to so was get married, stay married, and stay together for a very long time. I'm so scared that I will wake up one day and forget what it felt like to have his arms around me, and that I will forget what his face looks like." The tears were flowing freely now. 

Angela didn't know what to do. All she knew is that she received a letter from Booth as well, asking her to show up with wine, and to take care of his wife. It was like Booth was talking to her from the grave.

"How did you know I was going to need you tonight?" Brennan asked her when she calmed down a bit.

"Booth wrote me a letter asking me to be here tonight with you. He wanted me to bring you your favorite bottle of wine, and even sent money with it for me to get it."

"That's Booth, thoughtful and caring, even beyond the grave." She whispered. Angela pulled her best friend off the stairs.

"Come on. Let's get a corkscrew and get this bottle of wine started. It's Saturday tomorrow. We will take Parker to the park and we will complain about how we will never ever drink again." Angela told her giving her a plan for the next day.

----------

The light streamed in, forcing Brennan to turn over in the bed. She squirmed, opening her eyes, seeing Angela laying in bed next to her, trying miserably to stay asleep.

"I'm never ever going to drink again." Brennan muttered in her sleep, pulling the pillow over her face. She looked at the nightstand and saw the culprit of their sickness, a bottle of Reisling wine.

"What is wrong with us?" Angela whispered. A throbbing headache and settled right in the back of her head. "I need to remember I'm not 21 anymore."

"We are going to have to feel better quickly, because I think I hear Parker running down the hall." Brennan added miserably, massaging her temples.

Parker pepped his head in through the door. "Bones, Aunt Angela!" Parker clamored up on to the bed with them. "What's wrong, are you sick? Did someone give you the flu?" He said making a face.

"It's a self-imposed flu." Angela muttered.

"What does self-imposed mean Bones?" Parker inquired.

"It means we did this to ourselves." Brennan replied.

"Why would you do this to yourself?" Parker wanted to know.

Angela let out a laugh, flipping the boy over in the bed and tickling him. For an instance, the family felt normal again. Booth's plan was working, his family would be okay.

_

* * *

AN: Hi guys. I want to thank all who has reviewed. Reviews rock my socks. I love reading them, it lets me know that someone out there is reading and enjoying my ideas. Review if you want. I have a couple of tasks in my mind for Bones to have to do - do you guys have any tasks you want to have included on the list - something that Brennan wouldn't seemingly have done? I am going to use the Karaoke one, because it is a cute idea. I have a couple of ideas - but I aim to please. Press the button and let me know if you love it or hate it._


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four:

It had been a month since Booth's anniversary, and life had seemingly went back to a mere resemblance of what life used to be. Brennan sat at her desk writing a report for the FBI. She no longer went into the field, in fear that she would be making Parker a foster child, something that she promised to herself that she would never do to him.

She was pondering over what to write next, but all she could do was stare at the blinking curser. Annoyed she got up and started pacing her office. Then the picture of their wedding day caught her eye.

It had been a struggle on her part, but she realized that getting married in the church was something very important to her husband to be, and if it was important to him, it was important to her. So there she was, walking down an aisle in a white dress, holding red roses, with Parker escorting her down the aisle.

They said their vows, and shared a kiss, which was captured by the photographer. It was so much more than a kiss for her though, it was a promise of forever with them. A man that was as steady as rock, that wouldn't leave her the way her family had left her.

Then cruel reality had hit her, there was no such thing as happily ever after. She sighed, putting her head in her hands, sitting down on the couch. Tears started escaping again. She missed him so much. She really did feel that her life ended that day in the fire.

A knock on the door brought her out of her reverie. A delivery boy was standing there with a package for her. Brennan signed for it, grabbing her scissors on her desk. She opened the package and her heart skipped a beat. It had to be Booth again.

Temperance,

All work and no play makes for a very boring life.

I want you to play hooky.

That's right, hooky. You are going to go home sick,

sign Parker out of school early, and go on a picnic in the park.

You are going to push our son on the swings, and dance around in the

grass, not caring who looks at you. Do you understand?

Oh, don't worry about the food. Angela and Hodgins are in on this. They

are going to join you. There is more than one type of family Bones.

I love you.

Forever yours,

Love Seeley

PS: Take off your shoes in the grass, will ya!

Brennan put down the letter and opened up the picnic basket. Inside was freshly made sandwiches, potato salad, macaroni salad, a jug of sweet tea, and freshly made cookies. Brennan smiled. It was the same menu that was served on their first picnic date all those many months ago.

Debating in her head on what to do, the answer was clear. She shut down her computer, grabbed the basket and rounded up Hodgins and Angela. There wasn't any work that couldn't wait until tomorrow. Angela smiled, giddy to know that Booth was still around somehow.

----------

"Yes, I'm here to pick up Parker Booth early from school." She told the receptionist at the front desk. She looked at the clock it was only 11:00. She hoped he wouldn't be missing out to much of school, but had waited to get him until he could be counted there for the day.

Brennan smiled when she saw Parker running down the hall, obviously elated to be getting called out of school early.

"Bones!" He ran into her arms. "Nothing is wrong is it?"

"No, Bub. I just remembered you had a dentist appointment today." She winked at him to let him know that she was just joking around. He caught on the meaning and immediately played into the lie, moaning and groaning about how he didn't like the dentist.

"Why does your son call you Bones?" The receptionist asked as Brennan was finishing the rest of the paperwork.

Brennan shrugged, "It is what his father used to call me, and it's our little nickname for me." Parker lifted his arms up. Logically she and he both knew that he was too old to be carried anymore, but they didn't care. They enjoyed the closeness.

"Bones, really what is going on?" Parker demanded as soon as they were out of the office.

"Your dad just thought a day of hooky was what we needed." She explained to him. Parker knew about the letters because he too was receiving letters from Booth.

"Dad would pick me up sometimes." Parker said wistfully. Brennan gave Parker a look, "Well, Dad would tell me not to tell you because he knew what you would say. He would take me to the diner and we would get pie!"

Brenan made a mental note to start picking him up from school more and have more spontaneous moments that Parker would carry on into adulthood. She touched the letter that was now safely tucked into her pocket. It definitely felt like Booth was there with her, helping her raise their son.

----------

Parker sat on the swing, knowing that he could push himself however demanding that his Bones did it for him. "Higher Mommy. Higher." He screeched.

Bones pushed him higher, but caught the slip of the tongue. She decided to let it go, knowing that Parker would settle on calling her whatever title he saw fit. It had always been Booth who had wanted him to call her mom.

"Bones, would it be okay if one day Parker started calling you Mom?" Booth asked.

They were lying on their porch, watching the stars come out. "Parker had a mother that carried him around for nine months. I'm not biologically his mother." She explained rationally. "So it is natural for him to call me what you call me. Besides my nickname sounds so much cuter coming out of his mouth."

"But what if wanted to start calling you Mom? I know that Rebecca is his real mother biologically, but you are his Mom in every sense of the word. You tuck him in at night and you make him feel safe." Booth reasoned with her. "I'm not saying we should force it upon him, but if one day he naturally starts calling you mom, would you be okay with it."

"Yeah. I feel like his mom." She answered him. She laid back into his arms, and he gently placed a kiss on her forehead. She never wanted to leave that spot.

"Mom, I'm ready to eat now!" Parker exclaimed. His little voice broke her out of her memory. He smiled at her. "I'm the luckiest boy in the whole world." He hung around her neck, as she walked back to the blanket where Hodgins and Angela were waiting for them to return.

Hodgins was slowly massaging Angela's shoulders. "I told you Booth knew what he was doing when he was sending us those messages. Look, they already look like they are going to be okay." He told her as they were approaching.

Angela nodded. "Baby steps Jack. Everything in baby steps."

Brennan and Parker walked back up genuinely smiling for the first time in almost a year just because they were having a good time.

"Mom, in case I forget to tell you, I love you." Parker whispered in her ear. Brennan smiled and swung him around in a circle.

"Right back at you Kiddo. Now lets eat before Uncle Jack eats it all on us." Brennan told her little boy.

_

* * *

AN: I hope you like it. Please review and let me know if you have any tasks that you think would be good to add. Like it? Love it? Hate it? Let me know._


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five:

"Park - come on get a move one!" She yelled from the bottom of the stairs. Brennan threw the bagels into the toaster and ran back up the stairs to throw on her clothes. "Parker are you awake?" She asked him throwing on her olive green blazer.

She ran down the stairs getting the bagels out of the toaster, rapidly spreading peanut butter on their breakfast. The big yellow school bus was rounding the corner. She saw it from the kitchen window. "Parker!"

Brennan ran back up the stairs. "Who needs a stairmaster when I have a son who doesn't get up in the morning." She thought to herself. Instead of knocking on his door, she just barged right in. "Parker?" She found him tugging on his jacket, while searching for his shoes.

"Sorry Mom, I can't find my shoes!" He sighed. Last night was not a good night for him. He had a nightmare and had tried to be strong. Brennan heard him sobbing quietly in his room and went to him. She comforted him and let him sleep in her bed last night, which was normally only reserved for when he wasn't feeling well.

Brennan stooped down and found his left Spiderman sneaker underneath the bed, and the right one behind the open bedroom door. "I found them, but now you are going to be late." She told him as she watched the big yellow bus pull away. She flipped open the cellphone calling Cam. She realized though she would have to stop in the lab first because they had to be in court by 8:00 and she had the case file.

Brennan grabbed Parker, forgetting their breakfast on the counter, and ran out the door to get the case file to them on time.

----------

Dr. Sweets smiled as he saw Brennan running through the lab with Parker in tow. Parker was obviously having a hard time keeping up with Brennan, for every one step she took, he took three. "Mom, what about show and tell?"

"Parker," She whined right back to him, "What have I told you about misplacing your shoes? It isn't that hard to put them in your closet every day."

Dr. Sweets stepped out of her office. Certainly today was not going to be a good day for her. Parker was munching on his McDonald's breakfast and Brennan was sipping on her coffee. Angela and Hodgins smiled when they saw the young boy in tow.

"Is he sick?" Angela asked seeing her round the corner.

"Nope, missed the school bus. I am dropping him off in five minutes." She told her.

Brennan ran into her office, running into Dr. Sweets who was looking at the picture of her and Booth holding hands with Parker at the park. It had been the day that Booth had proposed to Brennan almost two years before. Parker was so excited, he had insisted on doing his own proposing.

"Daddy?" _Parker watched his dad slip on his shirt. _

"Yeah Parker?" He answered his son, picking up the cologne.

"Will Bones marry us?" Parker asked. The concern was evident in his eyes. "I mean what if it is just you and not me?"

Booth picked his son off of the bathroom sink. For a four-year-old, Parker was quite articulate. Booth smiled. He had gotten that from Rebecca. "Parker, I am positive that Bones loves you more than me."

"So can I propose then?" Parker asked. "She won't say no to me. She never says no to me."

"I think that is a good idea, how about if I propose first though." Booth smiled at him. He pulled out the ring to show him. It was a three stone diamond ring to symbolize the three of them becoming a family. It was perfect for them. There was a matching band to go with it, and hopefully, Booth prayed that she would say yes.

Brennan had changed in the six months that she had known Booth. She had never wanted children or marriage, but when she laid awake at night trying to concentrate on what her writing would be about, her mind often drifted to Booth. For the first time she saw a house and making breakfast in the morning. Sure, she might not eat breakfast, but she would make it for them. His son was just so adorable, and loved to learn. Who wouldn't fall in love with them. Their relationship had started off as a partnership forged because of work, and out of respect for the work grew friendship, and out of friendship, grew love. It just happened quicker than what they could have imagined.

For Brennan it had changed after being locked in with him at the lab, and for Booth it had started when he had homeland security arrest her. Brennan sat on the couch, remembering all this when they came to pick her up.

The weather was perfect that day. High, whispy clouds were in the sky and Parker was chattering on and on about how he wanted a dog. Booth was carrying their picnic lunch and red blanket to sit on. He smoothed out the blanket for them to sit on underneath a big maple tree. Brennan was standing there waiting for him the gesture when he was ready when she turned and saw them, Booth and Parker both on one knee.

"Bones, I know that you don't believe in marriage, but hear me out. I know that we bicker, I know that we fight. I know that we argue," Brennan started to protest, he held up a hand to stop her. "There is no one else in the world I would want to do that with. Will you do me the honor of turning our working partnership into a lifelong one?"

Brennan looked at him, contemplating on what to say when she heard another Booth man begin to speak, "Bones, I know that I love you. Will you become my step-mom?" Parker proposed, although not as eloquently as his father.

"Yes!" She told both of them. Logically in her mind it was time for another chapter in her life.

Booth reached into the basked and pulled out the ring and Parker reached into the basket and pulled out a rose he made his father buy at the gas station. She kissed Parker on the cheek accepting the rose, and kissed Booth soundly on the lips.

"Eww." Parker sighed, reaching into the picnic basket to retrieve his sandwich. He needed to make sure he would eat today. Like father, like son, Brennan thought watching him eat his sandwich.

Brennan looked out in the lab and watched her step-son eat the rest of his breakfast while watching Zach and Hodgins race beetles. "Am I doing a good job raising him Dr. Sweets?"

"Why would you think otherwise?" 

"Parker just seems more sad and more worried than any other five, almost six year old, I have seen. I just wonder if I shouldn't take a safer job. The FBI wants me back out into the field." She told him.

"Are you ready?"

"I miss it." She answered truthfully.

"Was Booth a bad father for working in the FBI?" Sweets asked.

"No."

"Should people in the military bad parents because they have risky jobs?"

"No."

"Well then you should go out into the field and try not to put yourself in dangerous situations." Sweets answered her logically. "It can't hurt to try it for a little bit." Sweets paused, "Dr. Brennan, it looks like your son is getting ready to help Zach and Hodgins with an experiment." Dr. Sweets pointed out watching Hodgins hand Parker a trigger and some safety glasses.

Brennan flew out of the room, screaming bloody murder at the two guys before asking for explanations. Dr. Sweets smiled. Of course she was a good mother.

----------

Brennan dropped Parker off at the school. After much talking, Brennan and Booth had decided to place Parker in a Catholic school provided by the church. Many children from the neighborhood went there. Brennan waved to the other mothers who were dropping off their kids who had also missed the school bus. Brennan was half way down the road when she realized that Parker had left his lunch in her car.

She turned around and parked the car. Brennan grabbed his lunch and walked toward man of the children. She had just spotted him. He had his back turn towards her.

A loud explosion rocked the schoolyard, causing pandemonium to erupt. Children scattered everywhere. Brennan instinctively covered Parker from any debris that was coming down with her own body.

After a moment or two, which seemed like an eternity to Brennan, she rose off her son and picked him up. "Parker are you okay?" She asked, checking him for injury.

Brennan sighed in relief when she didn't find anyway.

"Mom, your bleeding." Parker pointed to her arm.

She looked at her arm. It was just a scratch. "It's okay Bub. It's just a scratch."

The sound of a tire exploding caused Parker to launch himself into his mother's arms. He shook and she soothed him. Brennan pulled out the phone and called the FBI and waited patiently for the calvary to arrive.

----------

Tim Sullivan pulled up. The FBI had asked him to come back after Booth's death, and feeling the need to make a difference in society again, he had accepted. He walked over to the group and started taking statements. He saw a familiar face in the crowd.

"Temperance." He walked over to her. She was holding Parker, whispering in his ear.

"Sully. I heard you were back. Are you on this case?" She asked.

"Yeah. I called for your team."

"Well, I decided to come back to the field." She told him. She set Parker down and he went to sit over with his class. "What do we have?"

"Late model minivan. Plates were burned beyond recognition, it was a messy bomb. We were lucky no one got seriously injured." He looked at her arm. "You need to get that looked at."

"I will." She answered as Sully held up to crime scene tape and she stepped through the barrier. She still consulted on cases, but hadn't been in the field since Booth passed.

"NO!" Brennan whipped around and saw Parker running to her. The firemen tried to stop him. "MOM!"

"You will not man handle my son that way," Brennan walked over to him and shoved the firemen out of the way. "What is it baby?" She whispered hugging him. He was obviously upset.

"Daddy died in a fire, and I don't want you to die to." He stared at the car, and the firemen were getting the blaze under control.

She picked him up and held him tight. Sully nodded, leaving the two alone, and the firemen looked at the two, recognizing who it was. "Ma'am, sorry for you loss last year."

"Yeah." She whispered. Rocking Parker back in forth, waiting for the team to arrive so they could take Parker away. She needed to do this for Parker, and for herself. She needed to do this to get back to the way life used to be.

* * *

AN: I needed to add in this part for future plot development. I still haven't figured out if Booth will still be alive or dead. I will start taking votes now. 

Please review and let me know what you think. Letters to occur in the next chapter. I also felt I needed to give some background info on their past together as a family, how they ended up where they did. Timeline takes place during Season One, however may incorporate some of season two details. No real timeline though.

Reviews rock my socks, and they let me know that you are out there reading. Thanks for reading.

TBC . . .


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six:

They had identified the body in the minivan as Parker's teacher, Ms. Crater. There was no reason other than the fact it seemed as is she was just randomly picked out of a crowd. The case had hit a brick wall, causing Brennan and Sully to be a bit frustrated.

"What the hell is the world coming to?" Sully wondered aloud. "I mean who blows up a kindergarten teacher just because they can?"

"A sick bastard." She answered him. Sully had stopped by the office to get her signatures on some forms. "Sully I have been meaning to ask you, did you have a good time on your trip around the Caribbean?"

"I did, but then I got sick of the purposeless life. I need something and even though I hate having to deal with the scum of the earth, it helps me to know that we make a difference in someone's life. We give them the closure they need. When those bastards think they have gotten away with it, you come in and we catch them." He told her. "It almost makes it worth it."

"Booth told me something to that affect once." She replied. Reminiscing their time in New Orleans. It was the case she knew she didn't want to live life without him.

"You miss him don't you." Sully said, looking at a picture on her desk.

"Every single day, almost every single moment." Brennan whispered.

"He wouldn't have wanted you to live life like that. Booth would have wanted you to pick up and go on. You can't mourn him forever Tempe." Sully placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I know. I'm trying. Thanks Sully for everything." She gave him a hug.

"No problem. What are partners for. If you ever need anything Tempe let me know, I'm still your friend. I have two open ears, no waiting." He reminded her as he walked out of the office.

She waved goodbye to him as she started pacing. It had been a week since the explosion and almost two weeks from her last letter. She went to Limbo and pulled out a case to work on. Brennan spread out the bones and started making general observations when she saw a delivery man come up the platform.

"I have a delivery for a Dr. Brennan-Booth." He announced. Zach pointed to where she was and he handed her a rather large box and a smaller Fed-Ex letter parcel. She signed for it and ripped open the box. It was a large box, but not heavy.

Angela and Hodgins came out to see what it was. It was always an amazing day when Booth spoke to her beyond the grave. She reached in and felt past the popcorn a rather large object.

"Maybe he sent you some bugs!" Hodgins said playfully. He was watching on with Angela.

"Leave it to my love bug to think that bugs are romantic." Angela slapped him on the arm.

She pulled it out. A life preserver? What the hell could Booth be thinking sending her a life preserver. She pulled out a smaller life preserver with Sponge Bob all over it. "What is he thinking of this time?"

"Read the letter to find out Sweetie." Angela told her.

My dearest Temperance,

Fishing would always relax me after a long summer of

solving cases with you. It is time for a long weekend. Yes, you read right,

a long weekend. I have a cabin booked for you and the squints, along with

Parker in the mountains of West Virginia. I have enclosed a map, with directions.

It's already paid for and Cam already knows. In case you

haven't figured it out yet it is a Columbus day weekend and you

have this Monday off. Pick Parker up from school early on Friday and take

a nice long relaxing weekend and go FISHING!

I love you.

Forever yours, Love

Seeley.

PS: I enclosed a gift certificate for fishing poles. Oh, and don't

buy any of those worms in a can, really try to dig for them.

That's half the fun. Oh, don't let Parker try to hook his own

bait. I can see that going very badly. J

Cam came out of her office and smiled at Brennan looking bewildered at the life preserver.

"How do you put this one a little boy?" She wondered aloud.

Zach looked up from the skeleton he was working on from Limbo. "Are we going fishing?"

"Yes Zacharoni we are going fishing." Cam answered him, walking out of her office.

"Cam, what do we know about fishing?" Angela asked incredulously.

"How hard could it be?" She countered back.

Brennan set the life preserver down and smiled. Brennan looked down at her watch. It was three thirty. Maybe today would be a good day to go get Parker some pie from the diner on the way home from school today.

----------

Brennan decided for the sake of her sanity not to tell Parker they were going to go on the fishing trip or else he would be bouncing up and down for the rest of the week. Brennan called Sully for help in telling Parker that it was his teacher who died in the blast.

"Would you like some ice cream?" Brennan asked him when he was in his seat.

"Before dinner?" Parker replied confused. It was a rare day that he was allowed to have sweets before dinner.

"Sure. Why not, it's nice outside. It's a good day for ice cream." She answered him

"Yeah, I want ice cream before dinner." Parker announce humming happily to the Sponge Bob Square Pants DVD that Brennan put on for him. She sighed knowing that he already had experienced too much death in his young life.

----------

Sully waited as Brennan put Parker to bed. They were reviewing the case files one last time to see if there was anything they could find to help catch Ms. Carver's killer, but there was nothing left to find. Sully was frustrated.

He went to the bookshelf and pulled down one of the many frames that littered the shelf. He smiled seeing the one of him and Sully that was taken of the two as they graduated from the academy together. It seemed as if those days were long ago.

Brennan smiled when she realized what picture he was looking at. "He always told me you were a good agent, unconventional, but good."

"Seeley was the best." He told her. "He loved his job, but above all he loved his son and you the most."

"I know Sully." She whispered putting the dishes in the dishwasher.

"How's Parker?" Sully inquired. Parker had taken the news in stride, which worried Brennan. He had taken up to having nightmares of fires and that just started back up, so he was back to sleep in her bed, causing many sleepless nights for her.

"As good as he can be. He just asked that he doesn't go to the funeral. I don't blame him."

Sully nodded. "I heard you got a letter from Booth again." He commented. Brennan had mentioned the letters to him at the beginning of the case. Sully had knew that Booth wrote letters before dangerous missions so it didn't surprise him when these started coming.

"Yeah. He wants us to go fishing." She told him. "I don't know how to fish, I don't know how to bait a hook."

"Don't worry, I'll teach you before you go with the squint squad." He promised her.

"Good. Thanks Sully, you are a good friend." Brennan said to him as she escorted him to the hall. She bade him farewell and closed the door to another night of wishing Booth was there with her. She would do anything for one more night with him.

_

* * *

AN: Don't worry. There will be nothing more than Sully/Brennan friendship. It was never my intention to have another relationship for Brennan in this story other than with Booth. She needs good friends to help her through everything. If I get creative, we might just have some Sully/Cam interaction, but that may just be just a fleeting thought. Please review - Next chapter is the fishing trip. Who do you want to end up being tipped out of the boat? Who is going to loose an eyebrow trying to start a fire? Any other camping disaster you can thing of would be appreciated._


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven:

Brennan pulled the Mercedes SUV into Parker's school to pick him up early to start their extended holiday. She walked into the office to see Parker sitting there with another teacher.

Parker looked up and saw his mother walking in. "Mom!"

"Parker, what are you doing in the office?" She questioned him.

"Let me introduce myself, I am Mr. Carol. I am Ms. Crater's replacement. Parker was causing a disruption in my class today."

Brennan approached Parker, lifting him off the chair and rubbing his back. She had seen his red eyes and tear stained cheeks. She studied the man for a couple of moments. She wished that Booth was there to help her. She had gotten better with reading people, however still didn't feel very comfortable with it. There was just something about him she didn't like. Maybe because he was trying a charm smile on her, something that she had long since become immune to with her son.

"What happened?" She questioned him. There had to be a reason that Parker would act out.

"We were discussing parents and their jobs. Parker told me all about your job but wouldn't talk much about his father's. I told Parker until he could cooperate that he could go stand in the corner."

"I see." She responded. "I understand why Parker wouldn't want to talk about his father's job considering that it was his father's job that took his life. Fathers are a sensitive topic for Parker. Why would you want to talk about this anyway?"

"Their homework assignment is to go home and interview their fathers or another male figure in their life and then to draw a picture about it." He answered.

"Why can't it be their mothers?" She inquired.

"That is coming up next week."

"I will find someone suitable for Parker to interview, but next time do not be so insensitive about a five year old not wanting to talk about their deceased father!" Brennan was hot. She never prodded Parker to talk about Booth and hated it when other people did. The principal came out and gave Brennan a sympathetic look.

"I'm sorry. We didn't inform Mr. Carol about Parker's situation. We will rectify this."

"See that you do." Brennan whipped around and signed Parker out of school. He was already resting peacefully on her shoulder, unaware of the adventure they were about to embark on.

----------

"Mom where are we going?" Parker asked again from his seat. The DVD had ran out about twenty minutes ago, leaving Parker bored, and that was never a good thing.

Angela laughed from the front seat. "I never pictured you as a mother Brennan."

"It's funny how life can change on you like that." She answered her friend. "Park, I told you it is a surprise." The rest of the squints had plowed ahead to check the accommodations and pick up the last little bit of supplies that they needed.

"But if I don't find out, I might just die!" He said in the whiny tone that Brennan had long ago learned to tune out.

"Ah the drama of a five year old." Angela smile, turning around to keep the little boy occupied with a set of crayons and a pad of paper.

----------

Brennan whipped the SUV onto a dirt drive, carefully following the GPS directions. Parker looked up with the change of direction. "I know this place!" He said excitedly. "There's putt putt, paddleboats, and fishing! Daddy would take me here." He craned his neck around more to see the sights.

Brennan smiled noting the excitement in her sons voice. "Jack and Zack are already here with Cam."

"Cool!" Parker started to unbuckle himself from his seat.

"Park, you know the rules. You have to wait until we are parked to start unbuckling. We will be at the cabin and camp site in a minute. I can see it now." Brennan scolded him. Logically she knew that nothing would really happen to him on a deserted road to the cabin but, then again you never know.

Parker waited obediently for the car to stop and he immediately launched himself out of the car and was running excitedly around the camp site. He ran into the cabin Booth had rented for them and immediately claimed a room as his.

Angela laughed at his exuberance. "Now I know why you didn't want to tell him."

Brennan nodded her head grabbing the last of their gear for the weekend.

----------

They walked into the cabin and saw that it had only two beds and a couch. Which the guys didn't mind, they were excited to try out the fancy new tent and roll out beds that they had bought. They wanted to "rough it" any way.

Angela tried to explain to them that "roughing it" was far different from two people sleeping in a weather insulated tent for six people, with a built in heater and roll out beds. It was sleeping on the ground, in a sleeping bag in a tent that could be a tarp. She laughed remembering her own times spent with her father. But then again, when comparing it to Hodgins' living situation, she guessed it could be roughing it.

The campfire was started and Brennan pulled out the hotdogs for them to roast over the open fire. She was cautiously watching her son, making sure he didn't burn himself. His hotdog caught on fire, and she walked over to him and helped him blow it out.

"Do you want my hotdog?" She asked looking at his now perfectly black hotdog.

"Nope! Daddy says this is the best way to eat it." He announced proudly. He waited for it to cool down and bit into his food. She ruffled his hair sitting next to him on the log. "Mom can we go fishing tomorrow?"

"That's the plan Bub, that's the plan." She smiled as he put his head in her lap and yawned. It was almost time for his bedtime. He fell asleep in her lap, and she excused herself from the group to put him to bed.

-----------

They sat around the campfire, talking about everything and nothing at the same time. It was amazing, in her observation, on how so many people who were different could band together and become a family. She smiled letting herself for the first time really relax.

"Anyone up for some music?" Angela piped up, running to Brennan's car and grabbing the IPOD and the speakers.

"Sure." Brennan responded, reaching into the cooler and passing out beers to everyone. To her surprise, even Zack took one. Cam gave him a look.

"Drinking is socially acceptable around peers. One won't get me drunk." Zack responded.

Angela came back, "Whatever you say Zack." She smiled at him, helping him pop off the top, which he was trying to unscrew. She didn't want him to hurt himself. He smiled, taking a drink, coughing a little as the bubbly substance went down his throat.

The music started pumping through the speakers and Angela could barely contain herself as her favorite Nelly Furtado song came on. "Promiscuous Girl" filled the speakers. She got up, and dragged her best friend and boss to their feet. "Come on and shake your ass, you know you want to!"

Brennan swayed to the beat of the music, carefree, dancing around the fire. Her mind wondered to the first time they had all gone dancing together at on of the clubs in DC.

Brennan and Booth were starting their courtship and were keeping a secret from the squints. They had all met up at the Jeffersonian and piled into Booth's SUV to reach their destination.

The bouncer had let them cut the line considering he knew Booth from his army days, a world famous author was on his arm, and a well-known clubber was coming in. The smell of smoke immediately filled their senses as they entered the scene. People were milling around, not really dancing.

Angela was a little disappointed at the lack of movement in the club but figured it would begin to jump as soon as the right music got to pumping. She walked up to the DJ and found out he was a sub for someone else. She gave him a long list of songs to start playing. She winked at him, and the music she choose was soon playing over the speakers at the club.

Booth and Brennan smiled at her knowing that she was trying to still get them together. She pulled Brennan off her seat at the bar and brought her out to the dance floor. Booth watched as he saw a whole new side of Brennan come out, her hips were moving rhythmically to Promiscuous Girl, and he could take it. He grabbed his beer from the bar, and walked up behind her joining her in her dance.

She smiled coyly at him, knowing that she was driving him crazy. Angela left the two of them alone and found Hodgins to dance with him, pulling him away from some blonde bimbo not worthy of him. Booth tossed Hodgins a knowing smile, knowing it would only be a matter of time for those two to also admit that they were destined to be together.

The song ended and a slow song, "Brass Bed" came on. Booth pulled her close, whispering "I love you" in her ear. It was the first time he had admitted his love to her. She kissed him, and she swore somewhere she could hear Angela squeal.

Brennan smiled as the song finished, laughing hysterically as Hodgins got to close to the fire, and had caught his sweatshirt on fire. He had to stop drop and roll. Angela ran over to him, and Brennan started laughing.

"No funny Brennan." Hodgins said, laughing himself.

"Alcohol and fires don't mix." An obviously drunk Zack stated, laughing himself. He got up and stumbled a bit. Cam looked over at him.

"Get to bed Zachoroni, we have an excited kid to take fishing tomorrow." Cam told him, making sure he found his tent okay.

Brennan sat by the fire a little longer while the rest went to bed, gazing longingly into it. She felt a pair of eyes on her. "Come out, whoever you are!" She shouted into the woods. There was no answer. She laughed to her silliness, knowing it was probably an animal. She picked up the IPOD, it was hers, not Angela's. She knew because it was still playing their song, "Brass Bed." She listened to the lyrics.

The song finished with Josh Gracin crooning out "Stay with me." She sighed, and still feeling the eyes on her, she shuddered, making her way into the cabin to crawl into bed with the other Booth boy.

**AN: Here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. I highly recommend "Brass Bed" if you haven't heard it yet. Anyway, please review. They feed the soul and rock my socks. Hope you had a good holiday season.**


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter Eight:_

The morning light poured in a little too early for the squint squad, but not early enough for a little boy named Parker Booth. Brennan felt him get up out of their bed and tip-toe around the room, getting ready for his day. She heard him open the door to their bedroom and make his way to the kitchen. She figured it was time to get up and help him before he spilt cereal everywhere.

Brennan groaned, while getting up to stretch. She knew she wasn't getting anyway younger. Pulling on her slippers she made her way out to the kitchen in time to catch him putting some cereal back in the box. Booth's and Brennan's parenting philosophy had been to let them learn by doing. It seemed like a good idea in theory, however didn't hold much water when it came to the messes that Brennan had to clean. She wished that Booth was there with her, watching their son grow.

"Hi Mom." He whispered.

"Why are you whispering?" She whispered back to him.

Parker pointed out into their living room where Cam was stirring on the sofa, but Hodgins and Zack had came in and set up their cots as well. It was definitely a full house. Angela was still asleep in her bed.

"Hey Parks, why don't you go take breakfast outside? It should be warm enough. I'll fix my bagel and come out with you in a second okay?"

"That's great. And then I can go look for worms!" He said a little too excitedly, eliciting a groan from Cam. "Sorry." Parker whispered, grabbing his bowl, making his way to the porch.

Brennan smiled at him. Booth definitely did a great job with him. She twisted her engagement ring on her finger, remembering the day he put it on her finger, which led to many morning of no longer having to wake up alone, now she was back to that. She was a widow at the age of 30. People kept telling her to move on, but she couldn't and wouldn't. Her heart belong to Booth. She put some lox on her bagel and joined her son on the porch.

--

Brennan could fill the chill of the morning air as she stepped out. Parker was munching happily on his Coco Puffs. "Good morning Mom." He greeted.

"Hi Baby." She kissed him on his hair. She smiled at him, he was looking more like Booth everyday. "Did you have sweet dreams last night?" Brennan knew that he slept well with her in the room.

"I had a nightmare before you came in the room with me." Parker looked into his bowl.

"Oh." She whispered, finishing off her bagel, she pulled him into her lap. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"There was a fire and you were trapped inside." Parker whispered. "You were trying to get out, but couldn't."

"Baby, I promise you that I will do my best to never leave you." She reassured him.

"Daddy came to me last night and helped me through it though." Parker told her.

"Did you feel better seeing Daddy?" Brennan asked him, knowing that Parker often dreamed about him.

"Yeah, he made me feel tons better. He tucked me back into bed like he used to." He muttered, still a little drowsy.

"Hmm. It seems like a little boy is too tired to dig for his own worms." She whispered into his hair.

"I'm not tired." Parker bolted out of lap. "I'm wide awake."

"Good. I wouldn't want to have to find worms all by myself. Help me clean up inside and we will get ready to go fishing." Parker smiled at her, helping her carry in the dishes. They were going to be okay.

* * *

Brennan smiled as she watched her son run around the edge of the woods digging for worms, smiling each time that he found one. He looked so much like his father, losing Rebecca's features slowly.

"Hello Tempe." Brennan looked up and saw Sully approaching her.

"Sully, what are you doing here?" She asked. "I'm glad that you came." She added. "We are all getting ready to go fishing."

"Cam invited me out. We just got a cabin. She told me about Zack and Hodgins' tent collapsing and how cramped your cabin was. I hope you don't mind." Sully told her.

"No, in fact I'm glad you came. We are going to try to go fishing as soon as Parker gets finished digging for worms." She told him. She stared out into the water. "Parker needs a strong male figure in his life, and I think that Booth would be glad it's you."

"Tempe, I promised him the day you guys got married if something ever happened to him, I would help you in every way possible. He was the best man I ever knew." Sully picked up a stone and skipped it across the water. "I miss him too. Being back with everyone, helping you helps me get past missing him. He sent me a letter asking me to fulfill my promise, to make sure that you and Parker would be safe."

"That's just like Booth." Brennan smiled.

"I bought him a pigskin for us to throw around together. Booth had a great arm. I bet that Parker will have a great arm too."

"What's a pigskin?" Brennan asked.

"Nickname for football." Sully answered.

"I think Parker would like that. Speaking of Parker, where is he?" She spun around realizing she stopped hearing him. "Sully where is he?" Brennan started panicking.

"Tempe, stop panicking. He probably just went deeper into the woods to find some woods. Parker!" Sully screamed out his name.

"Parker Booth, this isn't funny!" Brennan screamed for him. Parker didn't answer back, nor did he materialize. "Where is he Sully?" Her voice was shaking, and the rest of the team ran out, realizing that something was wrong.

"Bren, honey calm down. We will find him."

She spun around, looking into the woods. "Parker!"

"Mom!" She heard him call out. "My foot is stuck!"

She ran to where she heard him. She searched frantically until she spotted his blond locks a little further in. He was tugging at his leg which was wedged between two logs. "I came in here searching for worms, and the log rolled and now I'm wedged." Tears started forming in his eyes.

"It's okay Baby." Brennan tried to calm him down. The team all ran over to where they were. "His foot is wedged."

"We could build a pulley to move it." Hodgins suggested.

"No, that wouldn't work." Zack said. "We don't have the right stuff."

"Mom!" Parker started.

"Guys! That will take too long." Brennan stated.

"Or we could just all push the log up the hill and Brennan could pull him free." Sully pointed out. "Nothing too complicated."

Cam shot him a thankful look. "See what I have to put up with. On the count of three now. One, two three." They pushed the log a little, just enough for her to free him. Brennan scooped him up in her arms.

"Parker, are you hurt?" She sat with him, pulling his shoe off. She examined his ankle. "Your medial and lateral malleolus don't seem to be fractured. Can you move it?"

"Mom, it's fine. It was just wedged." Parker started.

"There is a bruise forming. We need to put ice on it."

"No Mom! I want to go fishing." Parker started.

"We can put ice on it while we go fishing." Sully suggested. "Does that sound okay?"

They both nodded. Parker lifted his arms up, wanting Brennan to pick him up. She hoisted him up. "You scared me Baby."

"I'm sorry Mom."

"Don't do it again. Tell someone where you are going to go." She admonished, holding him a little tighter. "I lost your daddy. I don't want to lose you too."

"Mom, you won't." Parker promised.

Brennan carried her son out of the woods, shivering as she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her every move.

* * *

**AN: I know it has been awhile, but the muse left me on this one, and it finally came back. I hope you enjoyed this installment. Please review.**


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